This is out of shear curiousity. I own a few Revo STXs and one Lews Tour Pro, both reels have both Centrifugal and MAgnetic brakes. Now, when I was younger, I used to keep about three pins (out of six) engaged and three locked down. At the same time, I would turn my magnets all the way off. However, this spring, I was cast much farther, into wind, leaving only one pin on (five off) and using my magnetic brakes.

 

It begs the question: if you could choose any reel, but with only ONE brake system: mags or cents.

 

Take your pick and justify your answer.

Mags ~

 

A-Jay

Magnetic brakes are "touchy". Centrifugal are "one and done".

Centrifugal

I I have to pick just one, Centrifugal all day long. Set it and forget it. The Infini brake system on the STX is the perfect set up IMO though.

I prefer centrifugal braking over magnetic.  Shimano's VBS is where it's at for me, I prefer it over any other braking system, followed closely by the Daiwa Magforce-Z and V for magnetic systems.  I've fished several dual braking systems and the just don't cut it for me, you shouldn't have to combine two sub-par systems to make a reel work correctly.

Either or, doesn't matter to me. I can throw both equally. 

Centrifugal as others stated, set it and forget it.

centrifugal for me but keep this in mind: dual-braking reels are touted as "the best of both worlds" but they don't truly give you the full sense of what either system is like when fully realized. it like going to a surf-and-turf restaurant where you have a choice of a succulent lobster tail or a fat, juicy steak but can't decide so you order the steak & lobster combo. what you end up getting is a smaller sirloin steak instead of a big new york strip and the tail from a small slipper lobster instead of a big maine lobster. still good but not the same as ordering one or the other separately.

 

just to take this further, take a look at the centrifugal brake assembly from a curado....big brake blocks that slide effortlessly up and down on smooth brass pins. then, look at the centrifugal brakes from a dual-braking reel...tiny little brakes that cannot respond as quickly to the varying speed of the spool.

or, on the magnetic side, look inside a daiwa with sophisticated V-mag or Z-mag brakes where a centrifugally-operated arbor extends closer to magnets to receive more braking force when the spool is spinning faster and less when the spool slows down. then, look at a dual-braking reel's fixed magnets that apply the same amount of magnetic braking regardless of spool speed.

 

in summary, a good implementation of either braking system, centrifugal or magnetic, will perform significantly better than either or both of the braking systems of a dual-braking reel.

To answer your question centrifugal....But I like Digital more.

I prefer magnetic simply for the ease of adjustment. Specifically, I enjoy Daiwa's Magforce Z breaking system, though I rarely throw anything under 3/8oz.

I can cast any of them 35 yards.   I prefer magnetic for Pitching/Flipping and Centrifugal for long casting, if given the choice I will take a reel that has both every time.

Either or, doesn't matter to me. I can throw both equally. 

Must be nice. I'm a sloppy caster, and centrifugal brakes are MUCH more forgiving so I tend to roll with those or a combination of the 2. I've only ever used Abu's Linear Mag system with Gen 2 SX(HATED IT)and Abu's Mag Trax system that was much better though still I back lashed a ton at the start of my cast. 

Good topic.  Brakes and thumb.  The most fickle reel I have ever owned was a Revo SX.  It's an excellent reel but getting it dialed was bit more involved than others.  For that reason they were applied to pitchin rods.  Virtually every reel I own that feature brakes and mags never see the mags applied.

Good topic.  Brakes and thumb.  The most fickle reel I have ever owned was a Revo SX.  It's an excellent reel but getting it dialed was bit more involved than others.  For that reason they were applied to pitchin rods.  Virtually every reel I own that feature brakes and mags never see the mags applied.

I'm betting the farm your SX was a Gen 2.....

I'm betting the farm your SX was a Gen 2.....

the gen-1s were worse! abu tried to fix the SX's squirreliness by adding a second row of magnets in the gen-2s but it only helped marginally.

the gen-1s were worse! abu tried to fix the SX's squirreliness by adding a second row of magnets in the gen-2s but it only helped marginally.

Worse? Holy crap. I cannot imagine. I hated the gen 2 SX. 

Worse? Holy crap. I cannot imagine. I hated the gen 2 SX. 

'hate' is a strong word but i'm with ya. i had two and they frustrated the heck out of me. it cracked me up when i read TT's review of the SX...on his first cast, cal ruined a fresh $30 spool of line.

'hate' is a strong word but i'm with ya. i had two and they frustrated the heck out of me. it cracked me up when i read TT's review of the SX...on his first cast, cal ruined a fresh $30 spool of line.

I don't doubt it. My first cast went about 7 feet and I had about 80ft of back lash to pick out. The frustration with that reel just never ended. My Black Max was much easier to get dialed in.

Must be nice. I'm a sloppy caster, and centrifugal brakes are MUCH more forgiving so I tend to roll with those or a combination of the 2. I've only ever used Abu's Linear Mag system with Gen 2 SX(HATED IT)and Abu's Mag Trax system that was much better though still I back lashed a ton at the start of my cast. 

Lots of practice over the years. 

Centrifugal. You can turn these completely off for no braking effect at all. Magnets on the other hand can't be turned off, even if you have the reel set at zero there is still some brake force applied. If you're trying to achieve maximum free spool centrifugal is where its at.   

If I had to choose, it would be Mag breaking.

Centrifugal. You can turn these completely off for no braking effect at all. Magnets on the other hand can't be turned off, even if you have the reel set at zero there is still some brake force applied. If you're trying to achieve maximum free spool centrifugal is where its at.

Ever used a Daiwa? They have done a pretty good job of making the zero setting an actual zero.

Centrifugal, if I could have only one braking system. It's what I'm familiar and most comfortable with.

 

Tom

Ever used a Daiwa? They have done a pretty good job of making the zero setting an actual zero.

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